Half Bound Lotus Side Plank – Kasyapasana

Get me in poses I haven’t done or couldn’t do and I’m happy. Kasyapasana is one of them. Or was one of them. Up until this week, when I did an amazing class with the Italian yoga teacher Sara Bigatti. She got me in this half bound lotus side plank the easy way, instead of the hard way I always tried to get into it. Let’s see if I can get you into it as well; using Sara’s little trick….

Being on the road all the time has a big advantage. I visit a lot of places and by doing so I have the opportunity to study with a lot of great teachers. All with their own style and their own little tricks. And that little trick can be precisely the piece of the puzzle I’ve been looking for for a long time. Kasyapasana – half bound lotus side plank is an asana I attempted a few time, going in it the way B.K.S. Iyengar normally taught it: entering from side plank, placing your leg in half lotus and binding your upper arm around your back to grab hold of your big toe. For me it always meant crashing to the floor. I have no problem to get into half lotus, I don’t have a big problem binding and grabbing my big toe, but doing it in a side plank is a little too much for my body. Well… was a little too much.

Sara showed me an easy way to get into it in her class by starting out in half lotus, binding and then lifting up in side plank. And voila: that piece made the puzzle complete.

If you want to do a class with her as well, but she is not doing any workshops in your area, check out her YouTube channel. You have to understand a little bit of Italian though. 😉

How to get into Kasyapasana – half bound lotus side plank

Start in Dandasana: sitting up straight on the floor with your legs straight in front of you

Place your right leg in half lotus

Place your right arm behind your back and reach with your thumb, index and middle finger for the big toe of your right foot

Place your left hand about 30 centimeters behind you in line with your left leg or slightly in front of that line

Place the outside of your left foot on the floor

Roll your right shoulder slightly forward and over and use the power of your core and leg to lift up into Kasyapasana – half bound lotus side plank

Stay in the pose for five till ten breaths and slowly lower down to dandasana again

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Benefits of Kasyapasana – half bound lotus side plank

Strengthens hands and obliques

Makes the area around the sacrum more flexible

Opens the hip and shoulder

Knees get more flexible

Improves blood flow towards the digestive organs

Has a calming effect on the solar plexus

Although you have one foot on the floor Kasyapasana is seen as an arm balance. The pose is also known as: ardha badha padma vasisthasana. It’s challenging, but I like challenges.

About John Kraijenbrink

Yoga rebel, massage therapist, writer, entrepreneur, romantic, healthy food lover, blogger and globetrotter. John Kraijenbrink travels around the world, teaching yoga everywhere he goes, giving healing massages, blogging about yoga, food, massages and his adventures and trying to find out 'what the meaning of life is'.
His students call him the Dutch Smiling Yogi, because he always has a big smile on his face, enjoying life, getting inspired and hoping to inspire.

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